Apparatus for and method of testing dynamic characteristics of components of vehicle

Abstract

Measured values obtained from a running test of an object to be tested and a module on a test bench such as a flat belt type chassis dynamo, and computation based upon numerical models of components other than the object to be tested and the module, are related to each other so as to reproduce a condition near to an actual running condition, for the object to be tested and the module so as to precisely analyze how the object to be tested and the module affects upon the motion of the overall vehicle during actual running of the vehicle. Thus it is possible to evaluate dynamic characteristics of respective vehicle components and a module which relate to the maneuvering performance of the vehicle, on a test bench in a condition in which a load variation and an alignment variation are taken into consideration.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of testing-running characteristics of a part of a vehicle as an object to be tested on a test bench.Related ArtA flat belt type chassis dynamo has been proposed in order to evaluate the maneuvering stability of the vehicle, instead of a conventional drum type chassis dynamo. For example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 6-249753 discloses a method wherein support parts are provided, corresponding to wheels of the vehicle, on the upper surfaces of movable parts which can be swung by first hydraulic jacks actuated independent from one another, and which can be swung widthwise of the vehicle by second hydraulic jacks actuated independent from one another, and flat belts making contact with the wheels of the vehicle are provided respectively to the support parts, the movable parts being inclined so as to reproduce a climbing slope and a ramp and the support parts being inclined so as to v...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Further, a dynamic test method for vehicle components, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of supporting a dummy chassis by a plurality of actuators connected to a frame, supporting a part of a vehicle as an object to be tested, which includes at least a wheel, to the dummy chassis, computing an attitude of the vehicle and a load applied to a road surface from the wheel from a reaction force applied by the object to be tested, to a dummy road surface means simulating the road surface, and numerical models of the vehicle, which have been previously prepared, and controlling the actuators and the motion of the dummy surface means so as to decrease a difference between the attitude of the dummy chassis and the computed attitude of the vehicle and a difference between the load applied from the wheel of the dummy chassis to the dummy road surface means and the computed load applied from the wheel to the road surface so as to test the object to be tested.

Problems solved by technology

The variation in load and variation in the alignment intricately influence upon each other so as to excessively affect the friction forces between the tires and the road surfaces, and are influence factors which are not negligible for analyzing the maneuverability of the vehicle, in particular abrupt changes in maneuvering.

However, in the case of testing a suspension for a single wheel as a module, influence caused by variation in the attitude of an overall vehicle cannot be taken into account, that is, it has been impossible to evaluate how the suspension for a single wheel affects the maneuvering of an overall vehicle.

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